Spray cleaning device



Sept. 24, 1963 D. R. HOLDREN SPRAY CLEANING DEVICE 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed July 20, 1961 FIG-I INVENTOR. DONALD R. HOLDREN ATTORNEYS Sept. 24, 1963 D. R. HOLDREN SPRAY CLEANING DEVICE 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed July 2O, 1961 N n mm To N H ma m D L A w OD Em C.- 9 mm C:

ATTORNEYS United States Patent 3,104,672 SPRAY CLEANING DEVICE Donald R. Heidi-en, West Liberty, Ghio, assign'or to Holdren Brothers, Inc., West Liberty, Ohio Filed July 20, 1961, Ser. No. 125,434 4 Claims. (Cl. 134-168) The present invention relates to a tank cleaning device, and more particularly is concerned with a tank cleaning device comprising a spray stick, and especially useful for cleaning milk tanks and similar containers requiring thorough and efiective cleaning.

It is kIlOWIl in the art to provide apparatus for cleaning tanks of considerable size, such as tank cars for transporting heavy oils and related materials. These large and bulky cleaning devices usually comprise nozzle means ejecting a cleaning liquid and are adapted to rotate or move when ejecting the cleaning liquid, so as to assure that the cleaning fluid reaches most of the interior surface of the tank.

Particularly, in view of the means for providing movement of the cleaning devices, these known apparatus are quite complicated, heavy and bulky. They are not susceptible to use with smaller containers. In addition, they do not guarantee an effective cleaning of all corners and all interior surfaces of a container as is necessary in the case of milk containers and the like.

It will be appreciated that the health and sanitary regulations require a particularly meticulous and thorough cleaning of all parts of such containers.

With the foregoing in mind it is an object of the present invention to provide a tank cleaning device especially useful for milk tanks and similar containers of all sizes, including small containers.

Another object of the invention is to provide a tank cleaning device comprising a spray stick which can be used for milk containers and similar tanks, including small size containers, and which can be very easily placed in the operative position from the outside and without requiring any one to move into or reach into the interior of the container.

It is a further object of the invention to providea spray stick in a tank cleaning device which is extremely compact and of comparatively small size.

It is still another object of the invention to provide a spray stick in a tank cleaning device which is simple, easy to service and durable, and which eliminates moving parts, bearings and the like.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a spray stick for a tank cleaning device capable of reaching deep down into the tank.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a spray stick in a tank cleaning device which so ejects cleaning fluid that all corners and recesses and the entire interior surface of the container is effectively reached and cleaned by a cleaning fluid.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a spray stick in a tank cleaning device which can be easily inspected and cleaned without tools.

It is a still further object of the invention to provide a spray stick in a tank cleaning device which can be inserted from the top into the tank through a comparatively small hole in the top wall or the manhole cover.

It is yet another object of the present invention to provide a spray stick in a tank cleaning device which can be inserted in the tank to assume its operative position from the outside of the tank and without removing any of the manhole lids.

These objects are accomplished by the tank cleaning device of the present invention which essentially com prises a spray stick consisting of an elongated tubular member having at its one extreme end means for connecting the same exteriorly of the tank to a suitable hose supplying the cleaning fluid, and at its other extreme end a spray section.

In operation, the spray stick is introduced into the interior of the tank through a suitable opening, corresponding in diameter substantially to the exterior diameter of the tubular member, with the end bearing the spray section first, and connecting the opposite extreme end of the spray stick which remains outside of the tank with a fluid-supplying hose or pipe.

The opening of the tank can be suitably provided with a manhole lid and it will be apparent that it is unnecessary to remove the manhole lid or reach into the interior of the tank, or even enter the tank, in order to introduce the spray stick.

Preferably, the spray section of the spray stick is provided with nozzles which are upwardly directed at such angle that the ejection fluid covers the entire top surface of the tank, the respective corners between the top surface and the lateral walls, as well as at least a part of the upper portion of the interior surface of the lateral walls of the tank.

As the cleaning fluid is forced through the hose by a suitable power source, such as a pump, into the interior of the spray stick and is ejected through the nozzles in such direction as to cover the aforementioned range, those parts of the interior of the tank which are not directly hit by the ejected fluid are entirely covered by the flow of liquid down the lateral walls and the drops from the ceiling of the tank.

The invention will be more fully appreciated by the following description of the accompanying drawings wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a side elevational view, partly in longitudinal section, of a tank or a container shown by way of example, and is preferably used by the dairy industry to store milk, with the tank cleaning device in its operative position,'the spray stick projecting into the interior of the tank and ejecting cleaning fluid;

. FIGURE 2 is an exploded view of the spray stick of the present invention;

FIGURE 3 is a longitudinally sectional view of the spray section of the spray stick; 7

FIGURE 4 is a plan view of the upper part of the spray section of the spray stick (see lines 4-4 in FIG- URE 3);

FIGURE 5 is a plan view partly in cross section taken along line 55 in FIGURE 3, showing the lower part of the spray section of the spray stick;

- FIGURE 6 is a fragmentary longitudinally sectional view of part of the nozzle portion of the upper part of the spray section;

FIGURE 7 is a fragmentary longitudinally sectional view of a portion of the lower part of the nozzle section;

. FIGURE 8 is a perspective view of another embodiment of a spray section in a spray stick according tothe invention;

FIGURE 9 is a plan view of the spray section of FIG- URE 8; and

FIGURE 10 is a sectional view taken along line 1010 in FIGURE 9 of the spray section of FIGURES 8 and 9*.

Referring now to the drawings, FIGURE 1 shows a tank 1, given by way of an example only, in order to show one of the many containers in combination with which the present invention can be used.

The type of tank shown in FIGURE 1 isa vacuum container for storing milk and may have a storage capac ity of, for example, 600 gallons, as it is used with preferv ence by the dairy industry.

, Patented Sept. 24, 1963 The tank 1 may have two openings on its top, such as openings 2 and 2a, each of which can be covered by a manhole lid 3 and 3a, respectively. At least one of these manhole lids is provided with a suitable boring of a diameter corresponding substantially to the external diameter of the spray stick with which the present invention is particularly concerned.

Through this opening the spray stick 4 can be introduced from the outside to assume its operative position. At its uppermost end remaining outside of the tank the spray stick 4 is connected with a suitable pipe or hose 5, which in turn communicates with a suitable power source such as pump 6.

At a suitable location at its lowermost end the tank 1 has an outlet 7 connected with a hose 8, which latter leads to pump 6. It Will be apparent that in operation the pump 6 pumps liquid through the hose into the spray stick 4 and through the latter into tank 1, Whereas the cleaning liquid collected at the bottom of tank 1 leaves the latter through outlet 7 and flows back to pump 6 via hose 8. It is thus possible to use the same cleaning liquid several times, possibly after regeneration, either in a regenerating unit built into the structure of pump 6', or in a separate regenerator (not shown).

Turning next to the spray stick, with which the present invention is particularly concerned, this spray stick essentially comprises an elongated tubular body 10 of suitable length, having a top portion 11, with an insert flange 12-. The top portion 11 may be produced as a separate part and then suitably connected with the body 10, which is preferred for machining purposes and considerations of economy.

In the latter instance the flange 12 is attached to the upper part of tubular member 10 so as to form a continuous interior channel.

At its upper end the top portion 11 bears a collar 13, which collar comes to rest upon the manhole lid 3' whenever the spray stick is placed into its operative position projecting into the interior of tank 1. At its uppermost end the top portion 11 may form an end portion 14 with one or several ribs (15); this end portion receives one end of hose 5 and the rib portion assures a firm grip of the resilient hose on the end portion 14-.

At its lower end the elongated tubular body 10 ends in a spray section 16, shown in greater detail in FIGURE 3. Again for reasons of easy machining and economic production, it will be preferred to produce this spray section 16 as apart separate from the elongated tubular body 10, which, after having been finally shaped, as will be described presently, it attached to the lowermost end of the tubular body by welding, brazing, or similar suitable mode of attachment.

Turning next to the spray section 16 in greater detail, the same is shown to comprise an upper spray part 17 and a lower spray part 13. Once again for reasons of economic production and ease of machining, it is considered preferable to produce sections 17 and 18 as separate parts and then mount them on one another so as to form a single unit. 7

The lower spray part is sealed by a detachable plug 19 held in position by a retainer ring 29 with the plug resting within an inwardly recessed portion 31 and the retainer ring resting in a second inwardly recessed portion 32 below the portion 31, all in the lower part 18 of the spray section 16.

Referring next to the upper part of the spray section l7,

first this upper part has a tubular neck portion 21, which suitably may have the same diameter as the elongated tubular body 10. The lower part of this tubular neck portion 21 joins a bent shoulder 22, which in turn is contigouous with a next following shoulder 24 bent further downwardly relative to shoulder 22. The second or lower shoulder 24 isfollowed by a straight surfaced vertical wall portion 26. The first shoulder 22 has a plurality of nozzles 23 which advantageously can be ar- 4 ranged to form a circle, such as shown in FIGURE 4, and the second lower shoulder 24- has a plurality of nozzles 25 which may also be arranged on a circle, as may be gathered from FIGURE 2.

Preferably, the nozzles may consist of simple borings which, however, advantageously slightly taper so as to narrow somewhat at the outlet, which will give some acceleration to the ejected liquid. It will also be noted The lower part 18 of the spray section starts with a straight surfaced vertical wall portion 26a, which in assembly is welded to the straight surfaced vertical wall portion 26 so as to form one vertical wall portion 2626a, as shown in FIGURE 3.

The vertical wall pontion 26a ends in an inwardly inclined wall portion 27a, which in turn ends in an inwardly inclined wall portion 28, so that a V-shaped recess is fOl'l'l'lECl bY the wall portions 27 and 28. The wall portion 28 is provided with preferably two sets of borings 29 and 29a arranged in two circles, as shown in FIGURE 5, forming an upper ring and a lower ring of borings 29 and 29a. These borings storm ejection nozzles and, if desired, may have a tapering configuration, narrowing towards the outlet so as to give better acceleration to the ejection liquid. It will be noted that again the borings are drilled in the easiest fashion at right angles relative to the surface 28a. As a result the liquid will be ejected at a corresponding angle relative to the longitudinal axis of the spray stick. Preferably, the surface 28 has a bend, e.g. in its middle, so that the borings 29 and 2922, respectively, extend at a corresponding steep angle relative to one another.

The nozzles 29 and 29a are preferably arranged in a staggered relationship, as will be clearly seen in FIG- URE 5.

The portion 28 ends in a vertical wall portion of The removable plug 19 is inserted before putting the stick into operation so as to seal the lower end and ena'ble building up the required pressure for ejecting liquid pumped into the interior of the tube through the nozzles.

By removing the retainer ring 20 and subsequently plug 19 the spray stick can be easily and effectively cleaned. The inclination of the various surfaces 22, 24 and 28 relative to the longitudinal axis of the spray stick, and

consequently inclination of the nozzles, preferably drilled at right angles relative to the corresponding surfaces, are so chosen that in operation the ejected liquid covers at least the ceiling of the tank, the left hand and right hand corners between the ceiling and the side walls, as well as a sectional portion of these side walls, for example,

approximately one-third of the side walls, this one-third being the uppermost interior surface of the side walls.

As a consequence, the very critical recesses between the ceiling and the side walls, which are the most difiicult ones to clean, are covered by the direct impact of the cleaning fluid. The remaining part of the side walls, the bottom, as well as the parts between the bottom and side walls, are then also covered by the gravity flow of liquid either flowing down the side walls right between the recesses and the side walls and the bottom, or the dripping down :from the ceiling to the bottom part of the tank.

This gravity flow cleaning is enhanced even if the tank is as shown substantially a cylindrical tank, since, in that case, the liquid sprayed against the upper part of the cylinder will flow down, both clockwise and counterclockwise, around the interior surface of the cylinder so as to cover the entire internal periphery of the cylinder; whereas the side walls at either end of the cylinder are covered partly by the direct impact of the spray liquid and partly by the gravity flow of the liquid down the side walls.

According to another embodiment of the invention shown in FIGURES 8, 9 and 10,- the spray section initially consists of one part only instead of two dissarnbled parts 17 and 18 forming the spray section 16 of the previously described embodiment.

As will be noted in FIGURES 8, 9 and the spray section is again attached to the elongated tubular body 10 by a tubular neck portion 35. The lower part of this tubular neck portion 35 attaches to an inclined surface portion 36. The inclined surface portion 36 has borings therein arranged in a circle and constituting nozzles 37. The inclined surface portion 36 ends in a vertical wall portion 38 having two rows of circularly disposed nozzles, such as upper nozzles 39 and lower nozzles 39a. In its lowermost portion the vertical wall 38 is again provided with internal recesses 31 and 32 for receiving a plug and a retainer ring.

As will be seen in FIGURE 10 the nozzles 37 are disposed at an angle relative to the longitudinal axis of the spray stick, which angle is less than 90 degrees, whereas, the lower nozzles 39 and 39a extend at substantially 90 degrees relative to the longitudinal axis of the spray stick, and in addition the spray section advantageously has a pair of vertically upwardly directed nozzles.

Such vertically extending nozzles are shown by way of example in FIGURES 9 and 10, wherein there are provided two of such nozzles 37a, preferably opposite to each other, so that some ejected liquid is directed vertically upwardly at either side of the spray stick.

In order to drill these holes into the inclined surface 36, accurate machining calls first for the preliminary preparation of spot faces 36a, assuring a firm grip of the drill and an accurate machining of the borings.

Instead of spot facing, the spray section may have a horizontally extending portion (not shown) immediately adjacent the vertical portion 35 and extending at right angle relative to the latter. The vertical nozzles can then be drilled without repairing spot-facing.

The provision of such vertical nozzles 37a has the great advantage of definitely eliminating any dead zones on the ceiling of the tank, which otherwise might develop immediately around the spray stick.

In addition, and more important, the provision of but two of such vertical nozzles will produce a comparatively small ejection of fluid; this effect can be enhanced by producing vertical nozzles 37a with reduced diameter, as compared with the other nozzles. It will be noted that this arrangement is important when using the spray stick in atmospheric tanks, where the danger of having the upwardly ejected fluid escape from the tank must be obviated. Since only a thin spray or fine mist is directed to the critical zones of such tanks, a loss of cleaning fluid is avoided.

Preferably, the embodiment of FIGURES 2-7 is provided with similar, at least two, such vertical nozzles extending parallel to the longitudinal axis of the spray stick, such as the nozzles 23a drilled into the spot surfaces 22a in FIGURE 4. This will have the same advantage as mentioned with respect to the second embodiment.

Again, the vertical nozzles may be drilled into horizontally extending surface portions (not shown), thereby eliminating the need for spot-facing.

It will further be noted that for the sake of economical production all nozzles, possibly with the exception of the pair of vertical nozzles, may have the same diameter, produced by a standard uniform boring. All nozzles advantageously have the same length.

It will be understood that this invention is susceptible to modification in order to adapt it to different usages and conditions and accordingly, it is desired to comprehend such modifications within this invention as may fall within the scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. In a tank cleaning device for cleaning liquid storage tanks of all sizes having a manhole lid with an opening therein, a fluid conveying source, a hose connected with said power source, an elongated tubular member of substantially the same diameter as said opening in said manhole lid adapted for projecting substantially vertically downwardly into said tank, the upper end of said tubular member being connected with said hose, a spray section at the lower end of said tubular member having an upper spray portion with a first plurality of nozzles arranged in a circle and inclined at a determined steep angle relative to the longitudinal axis of said tubular member, a second plurality of circularly arranged nozzles at a greater angle of inclination than said first nozzles, and a lower spray section having a plurality of nozzles arranged in a circle and at a still further increased angle of inclination, said spray section having a lowermost open end and a detachable sealing means closing said open end so that cleaning fluid is pressure ejected from said hose and passing through said elongated tubular member through said n'ozzles at said various angles of inclination into said tank,

said nozzles all having about the same diameter and the thickness of the wall of said spray section being substantially greater than said diameter.

2. In a tank cleaning device for cleaning liquid storage tanks of all sizes having a manhole lid with an opening therein, a fluid conveying source, a hose connected with said fluid conveying source, an elongated tubular member of substantially the same diameter as said opening in said manhole lid projecting substantially vertically downwardly into said tank, the upper end of said tubular member being adapted for connection with said hose and a spray section at the lower end of said tubular member having a tubular neck portion of the same diameter as said elongated tubular member and contiguous therewith, an inclined surface portion below said neck portion and a straight surface vertical portion below said inclined portion and having a greater diameter than said neck portion, a plurality of circularly arranged nozzles in said inclined surface portion extending at a determined steep angle relative to the longitudinal axis of said tubular member, at least two spot surface portions in said inclined surface portion, a nozzle in each of said spot surface portions extending parallel to the longitudinal axis of said tubular member, and at least one row of circularly disposed nozzles in said straight surface vertical wall portion extending at an angle of degrees relative to the longitudinal axis of said tubular member, all of said nozzles being of about the same diameter so that cleaning liquid is ejected in determined distribution through said various nozzles in a range from zero to 90 degrees at either side of said tubular member into said tank.

3. In a tank cleaning device for cleaning liquid storage tanks of all sizes having a manhole lid with an opening therein, a fluid conveying source, a hose connected with said fluid conveying source, an elongated tubular member of substantially the same diameter as said opening in said manhole lid, the lower portion of said tubular member projecting substantially vertically downwardly into said tank, the upper portion of said tubular member adapted for connection with said hose, a spray section at the lower end of said tubular member having an upper spray portion and a lower spray portion, a first plurality of nozzles and a second plurality of nozzles provided in two concentric circles in staggered arrangement in said upper spray portion, and a third and a fourth plurality of nozzles arranged in two concentric circles in staggered arrangement in said lower spray portion, all of said pluralities of nozzles having their axes inclined at various determined angles not greater than 90 measured between said axes and the longitudinal axis of the spray stick above the nozzles, and said angles successively increasing from one circle to the next following circle of nozzles in the downward direction so that cleaning liquid is ejected into said tank through said nozzles at various angles of inclination relative to the longitudinal axis of the said spray stick, and in the form of a cone having its vertex at the bottom.

4. In a tank cleaning device for cleaning liquid storage to the longitudinal axis of said tubular member, an inclined surface portion adjacent said horizontal portion, a plurality of nozzles in said inclined portion extending at a determined steep angle relative to the longitudinal axis of said tubular member, and a vertical portion adjacent said inclined portion with a plurality of nozzles in said vertical portion extending at right angles relative to the longitudinal axis of said tubular member and arranged in two concentric circles in staggered arrangement, all of said nozzles having about the same diameter, so that a substantial mass of cleaning liquid is ejected through said nozzles in said inclined portion and said vertical portion, and a substantially smaller portion of cleaning liquid is ejected upwardly through said nozzles in said horizontal portion, the wall thickness of said spray section nozzles.

Reierences Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

1. IN A TANK CLEANING DEVICE FOR CLEANING LIQUID STORAGE TANKS OF ALL SIZES HAVING A MANHOLE LID WITH AN OPENING THEREIN, A FLUID CONVEYING SOURCE, A HOSE CONNECTED WITH SAID POWER SOURCE, AN ELONGATED TUBULAR MEMBER OF SUBSTANTIALLY THE SAME DIAMETER AS SAID OPENING IN SAID MANHOLE LID ADAPTED FOR PROJECTING SUBSTANTIALLY VERTICALLY DOWNWARDLY INTO SAID TANK, THE UPPER END OF SAID TUBULAR MEMBER BEING CONNECTED WITH SAID HOSE, A SPRAY SECTION AT THE LOWER END OF SAID TUBULAR MEMBER HAVING AN UPPER SPRAY PORTION WITH A FIRST PLURALITY OF NOZZLES ARRANGED IN A CIRCLE AND INCLINED AT A DETERMINED STEEP ANGLE RELATIVE TO THE LONGITUDINAL AXIS OF SAID TUBULAR MEMBER, A SECOND PLURALITY OF CIRCULARLY ARRANGED NOZZLES AT A GREATER ANGLE OF INCLINATION THAN SAID FIRST NOZZLES, AND A LOWER SPRAY SECTION HAVING A PLURALITY OF NOZZLES ARRANGED IN A CIRCLE AND AT A STILL FURTHER INCREASED ANGLE OF INCLINATION, SAID SPRAY SECTION HAVING A LOWERMOST OPEN END AND A DETACHABLE SEALING MEANS CLOSING SAID OPEN END SO THAT CLEANING FLUID IS PRESSURE EJECTED FROM SAID HOSE AND PASSING THROUGH SAID ELONGATED TUBULAR MEMBER THROUGH SAID NOZZLES AT SAID VARIOUS ANGLES OF INCLINATION INTO SAID TANK, SAID NOZZLES ALL HAVING ABOUT THE SAME DIAMETER AND THE THICKNESS OF THE WALL OF SAID SPRAY SECTION BEING SUBSTANTIALLY GREATER THAN SAID DIAMETER. 